Bama's Karukku: A Tale of Resistance and Struggle

Dalits have a history of experiencing all
forms of prejudice and humiliation
because of their caste and socio-economic
standing. With the passage of time, the
majority of Dalits are resisting the
restrictions placed on them by society.
They are asking for justice and equality
that have previously been withheld from
them. Many Dalits use literature as a
means of expressing their protest against
the biasness of the upper-castes. Bama has
been regarded as one of them who is using
her pen to combat prejudice. With her
autobiography, Karukku, Bama began her
literary career. This autobiography is
considered as the first autobiography of
Bama, a Dalit lady from Tamil. The
author has provided an accurate portrayal
of the societal and economic way of life of
Dalit community in Karukku. Bama aimed
to raise awareness of Dalits' suffering and
resistance so that those who choose to
ignore their situation will be inspired to
fight against the barbaric practices of caste
discrimination. Hence, this paper will deal
with the study of Bama's Karukku as a
testament to the suffering and subsequent
struggle of Bama as a Dalit, as a Dalit
woman among Dalits, as a Dalit Christian
and other Dalit women against the ills of
the Indian caste system